Connected Franchise Mode Strategy

CFM Team Rating: 82

Offensive Scheme: Balanced Offense

Defensive Scheme: Zone Blitz 3-4

Strengths: QB, TE, C, LOLB, MLB, CB, SS

Weaknesses: HB, LT, LE, DT, ROLB

Offensive Scouting Report

• QB Ben Roethlisberger has two Super Bowl rings. He is one of the greatest QBs to play the game. At age 31 he still has plenty of years left ahead of him. We think that you should spend your upgrades on rookie QB Landry Jones and groom him while Big Ben competes for another Super Bowl.
• Priority number one for the Steelers is to find a feature HB. Big Ben is aging and needs a complete team to have another chance at a Super Bowl. No HB on this roster is the long-term answer.
• WR Emmanuel Sanders will surprise people this season. After the departure of WR Mike Wallace he will see plenty of opportunities, and we think he has the talent to take advantage of it.

Defensive Scouting Report

• The Steelers defensive line was once the most dominant in all of football. It is a shell of its former self and needs to be rebuilt. Focus on this in the draft and in free agency.
• MLB LaWRence Timmons has big shoes to fill. The departure of James Harrison means more chances for Timmons to showcase his ability.
• SS Troy Polamalu is a hall of fame player and still has juice left in the tank. It is time, though, to start thinking about his replacement. Keep this thought on the back burner so that when he does retire you won’t be surprised.

Owner & Coach Profiles

Key Players

QB #7 Ben Roethlisberger

• Roethlisberger is one of the hardest QBs to tackle in the game.
• He has just enough speed to escape the pocket and frustrate opposing pass rushers.

SS #43 Troy Polamalu

• Polamalu has been patrolling the deep secondary for the Steelers for a decade.
• He is one of our favorite user-controlled players because he does everything well.

PRE-GAME Setup:

Key Running Substitution

Who: HB LaRod Stephens-Howling

Where: Starting HB

Why: We like more explosive HBs to see more playing time. That’s why Stephens-Howling gets the start.

Key Stats: 93 SPD, 76 CTH

Key Passing Substitution

Who: TE Matt Spaeth

Where: #2 TE

Why: Spaeth should be used almost always in the red zone. His 6’7” height makes him difficult to defend.

Key Stats: 6’7”, 82 CIT, 86 JMP

Key Run Defense Substitution

Who: LE Al Woods

Where: #2 DT

Why: Woods will help the defensive line with his 94 STR rating during run situations.

Key Stats: 94 STR

Key Pass Defense Substitution

Who: CB DeMarcus Van Dyke

Where: #1 CB

Why: Van Dyke is the game’s fastest defender. He is the Steelers’ best chance at defending opposing teams’ best WRs.

Key Stats: 6’1”, 98 SPD